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The Selective Service System and Draft Registration: Issues for Congress

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The Selective Service System and Draft Registration: Issues for Congress The Selective Service System and Draft Registration: Issues for Congress Kristy N. Kamarck Analyst in Military Manpower April 11, 2016 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R44452 The Selective Service System and Draft Registration: Issues for Congress Summary The Military Selective Service Act (MSSA), first enacted as the Selective Service Act of 1948, provides the statutory authority for the Federal government to maintain a Selective Service System (SSS) as an independent federal agency responsible for delivering appropriately qualified civilian men for induction into the Armed Forces of the United States as authorized by Congress. The annual budget for the agency is just under $23 million and the budget has remained stable at about $25 million in current dollars since the 1980s. One of the SSS’s main functions is to maintain a database of registrants in case of a draft. The agency stores approximately 78 million records in order to verify registration status and eligibility for certain benefits that require certification of registration for eligibility. The SSS has a staff of approximately 125 full-time employees, which is complemented by a corps of volunteers and military reservists. The MSSA requires most males between the ages of 18 and 26 who are citizens or residents of the United States to register with Selective Service. Women in the United States have never been required to register for the draft. Men who fail to register may be subject to criminal penalties, loss of eligibility for certain federal or state employment opportunities and education benefits, and denial of security clearances. Documented or undocumented immigrants who fail to register may not be able to obtain United States citizenship. Registration compliance rates were as high as 95% in 2015. While individuals may still register at U.S. post offices, the SSS attributes high compliance rates to a system of automatic electronic registration supported by state legislation and interagency cooperation. Throughout most of the 20th century the U.S. government has, by law, obligated most male residents to register for a draft administered by an agency of the federal government. The Federal government has episodically used draft calls and lotteries to mobilize military manpower from the time of the Civil War until June 30, 1973 when the statutory induction authority expired and the military transitioned to an all-volunteer force. However, the SSS is charged with maintaining the capacity to draft young men if and when Congress authorizes conscription. The MSSA does not currently authorize the use of a draft for induction into the Armed Forces. When the draft has been implemented, it has been met by some public resistance. Such resistance to the draft drives much of the opposition toward maintaining the SSS and the registration requirement. Even some who are not opposed to the government’s use of conscription in a time of national need are opposed to maintaining the current SSS agency infrastructure. They argue that a stand-alone agency is unnecessary and expensive and that there are a number of alternatives that could more effectively and efficiently enable the country to reestablish conscription, if necessary. Others counter that, at the cost of $23 million annually, maintaining the SSS is a relatively inexpensive insurance policy should the draft need to be quickly reinstated. They also argue that maintaining the SSS sends a signal to potential adversaries that the United States is willing to draw on its full national resources for armed conflict if necessary. Some are concerned that the registration requirements are inequitable, arguing that it is unfair to men that women can voluntarily serve in all military occupations but are exempt from the registration requirement and the prospect of being drafted. In additional, statutory penalties impose hardships on certain groups, particularly those with fewer financial resources who also might be least aware of their obligation to register. Some contend that MSSA and associated statute should be amended to remove penalties for failing to register. Others argue that weakening or removing penalties would cause registration compliance rates to fall to unacceptably low levels. In response to these issues, Congress may consider a number of options for amending, repealing, or maintaining the MSSA and associated statutes. Congressional Research Service The Selective Service System and Draft Registration: Issues for Congress Contents Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Background ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1863 Enrolment Act and Civil War Conscription ...................................................................... 2 Selective Service Act of 1917 and World War I Conscription .................................................. 3 The Selective Training and Service Act and World War II ....................................................... 4 Consideration of Universal Compulsory Service ................................................................ 6 Post-World War II, the Selective Service Act of 1948 .............................................................. 6 Korean War and the Universal Military Training and Service Act of 1951 .............................. 7 The Vietnam War and Proposals for Draft Reform ................................................................... 8 The Gates Commission ..................................................................................................... 10 All-Volunteer Force (AVF) and a Standby SSS ....................................................................... 11 New Penalties for Registration Noncompliance ..................................................................... 13 Other Legislative Proposals in the Modern Era ...................................................................... 15 Selective Service Registration ....................................................................................................... 15 Processes for Registration ....................................................................................................... 17 Compliance and Penalties for Failing to Register ................................................................... 17 Selective Service System ............................................................................................................... 19 Workforce and Organization ................................................................................................... 20 Funding ................................................................................................................................... 20 Data-sharing and Data Management ....................................................................................... 22 What are Some Options for the Future of the Selective Service System? ..................................... 23 Arguments For and Against Repeal of MSSA ........................................................................ 23 Options for Amending MSSA ................................................................................................. 24 Repealing the Peacetime Registration Requirement ......................................................... 24 Transferring SSS Functions to an Existing Federal Agency ............................................. 25 Changing Registration Requirements to Include Women ................................................. 26 Amending or Repealing the Penalties for Failing to Register........................................... 28 Figures Figure 1. SSS Enacted Budget by Function .................................................................................. 21 Tables Table 1. Draft Inductees and Total Participants in Major Conflicts ............................................... 11 Table 2. Who Is Required to Register for the Selective Service? .................................................. 16 Table 3. Recent Appropriations for Selective Service System ...................................................... 21 Contacts Author Contact Information .......................................................................................................... 28 Congressional Research Service The Selective Service System and Draft Registration: Issues for Congress Overview Congress appropriates approximately $23 million annually to maintain the Selective Service agency. The United States has not used conscription to fill manpower requirements for over four decades; however, the Selective Service System and the requirement for young men to register for the draft remains today. Men who fail to register are subject to penalties in the form of lost benefits and criminal action. Some have questioned the need to maintain this agency and the registration requirements. Others have questioned whether the current requirements for registration are fair and equitable. This report is intended to provide Congress with information about how the Military Selective Service Act (MSSA), the Selective Service System (SSS), and associated requirements for registration have evolved over time. It explains why the United States developed the SSS, what the system looks like today, how constituents are affected by the MSSA requirements, and what the options and considerations may be for the future of the
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